Students can apply to universities within the north2north student mobility network available in the Stockholm University agreement portal, by choosing "program" north2north Student. In your application, you can select up to five partner universities that you rank as first, second, third choice, etc. It is important that you carefully read the information regarding the host university's requirements, such as language, grades, and restricted study areas (course restrictions).

The North American higher education institutions participating in north2north allocate a number of places each year, which means that as a student, you do not need to pay tuition fee (tuition fee waivers). Note that some institutions require administrative fees and additional costs for insurance, meal plan and visa. The scholarship can sometimes cover the fees but not always. It is important to research these fees prior to the exchange. For more information see section ‘Places to study at a North American university’ and information under each university in the Stockholm University agreement portal. 

• Further information about the north2north network within the ‘University of the Arctics’ is found here

Participating north2north universities (excluding Denmark)

• In the agreement portal you will find all north2north agreements by choosing "program" north2north Student 
• You will also find further information about the participating universities on the networks website (exchange agreements have a blue north2north- banner): 
  Participating north2north institutions
• For information about course, programs and institutions, access the UArctic Study Catalogue at: 
  UArctic Study Catalogue

Waiver of North American universities

The north2north student mobility program has at its disposal a number of north2north tuition fee waivers from North American partner universities. The study places of the partner universities in Canada and the United States (Alaska) distributed among applicants from the four Swedish universities participating in the north2north program. The participating Swedish universities are Stockholm University, Mid University, Luleå University of Technology and Umeå University.

Waivers may vary from year to year and is updated after notification from the north2north network.

Information for students with a citizenship from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland.

If you are an international student currently studying in Sweden and looking at studying abroad, please read through this FAQ (the section for Exchange studies) before you apply. Applying for an exchange may affect your residence permit in Sweden. 

FAQ about Costs, fees and scholarships

The Swedish Institute offers scholarships in coordination with Stockholm University. The scholarship varies from year to year and is not guaranteed; however, it has previously been around SEK 19,000 – 22,000 SEK per student (including a travel grant). 

north2north prioritises cooperation with North American universities, and students that study courses with emphasis on the Northern and Arctic regions, but can grant scholarships to all countries (though with smaller scholarship sums). The scholarship will be distributed according to a selection list (see selection criteria below). 

Exchange studies means that you pay no tuition fee at the partner university for your studies there. If you are a fee-paying student at SU you’ll keep paying for your studies to SU during the exchange period. However, exchange studies always come with additional costs, compared to your studies at SU. 

NOTE, if you are a fee-paying student at SU it is crucial that you come back from your exchange with the equivalent number of credits, that is 30 ECTS = one semester of full time studies. 

Examples of additional costs linked to your exchange (not a complete list, only examples):

• Travels to/from your destination.
• VISA fees (vary depending on destination).
• Some partner universities requires that you purchase a local insurance.
• Some partner universities requires that you purchase a so called “meal plan”, meals from campus canteens.
• Some partner universities requires that you live on campus, at designated dormitories.
• Some partner universities have administrative fees.

To be able to participate in a north2north exchange and eligible to apply for a scholarship you have to fulfill the below criteria (both the general eligibility requirements and the special eligibility requirements for the north2north programme). 

General eligibility requirements

General admission requirements 

Special eligibility requirements for the north2north-programme

• Study at bachelors or masters level.
• Completed your first year of study (60 ECTS) before departure to the partner university.
• Study at least three months, but no more than ten months at the host university (1-2 semesters).
• Hand in a travel report after exchange studies.

*Note for previous applicants through university-wide agreements and networks. Applicants that have accepted a nomination and have cancelled the nomination after contact has been established with partner university is not eligible to apply again.

The application period for the north2north network is done once per year, please find the below dates. Please note that the locations available for exchange will vary from year to year.

north2north

Note: The application deadline is at 23:59.

Fill out the application form in Stockholm University's student exchange portal (must be in English):

Link to the application

Please note that the application form is only available during the application periods. Your SU-ID is your login to the application portal, and you can save and return to your initiated application during the entire application period. If you have issues with the portal, take a printscreen and send it to studentutbyte@su.se.

In your application you can choose up to five universities, you have to prioritise them in first, second, third choice, etc.

The following document should be attached in your north2north application:
Template Personal Letter and Preliminary Course Proposal (165 Kb) . Please note that if you do not use the designated template for the preliminary course selection, it may result in your application being viewed as incomplete or it may affect your position in the selection process. The letter replaces a personal interview and the course selection part must be approved by your department. 

Instructions for the template:

• Fill out your name and your home department at SU.
• Answer the questions that make up the personal letter. The letter should be addressed to Stockholm University.
• Fill in your preliminary course proposal for the first three universities you are applying to. You must select courses equal to full time studies. It is your responsibility to find courses via our partner universities’ webpages. Your course proposal must be approved by your home department at Stockholm University, or by the Degree Office. International officers at International Office, Stockholm University, cannot advise/approve course proposals. 

How do I find courses on the host university websites? 

The Student Service do not have the capacity to look for courses for individual students. It is recommended that you use the UArctic Studies Catalogue for information about courses and programs in order to learn more about the institutions. 

If certain countries or universities are missing in UArctic Studies Catalogue, you can always contact the host institutions International Coordinator if you do not find any course catalogue.

How do I know how many credits equal to 30 credits (högskolepoäng) at Stockholm University?

You should apply for courses at the host university where the credits correspond to one fulltime semester at Stockholm University, 30 credits (högskolepoäng). Please note that it is only a recommendation and you should always consult with your home department (student counsellor, or exchange coordinator) or the Degree Office about the exact number of credits they approve for transferring of credits to Stockholm University. Your department need to approve your preliminary course selection in the application.

Who approves my course selection?

All courses should be transferred to Stockholm University after the exchange. It is important that you have talked to your department about credit transfer before the exchange takes place, particularly if the courses should be transferred within your study program. 

• Your home department at Stockholm University: approves courses within a programme and free standing courses within the subject area. The department approves course choices for transferring to Stockholm University before departure.
  List of departmental exchange coordinators
• The Degree Office: Approves credit transfers of courses that any department is not able to approve and if courses are given within many different subject areas.
  Please find further information about the Degree Office.

Can I change the course selection after nomination to a host university?

The course selection in your application is preliminary. A new course selection can be done when you apply to the host university. Your new course selection should also be approved by your home department or the Degree Office.

The application will be assessed according to the selection criteria below (both the general selection criteria and the north2north selection criteria). 

General selection criteria

General selection criteria

north2north selection criteria

Tuition waivers to the North American universities is decided in a selection among the four participating Swedish universities: Stockholm University, Mid University, Luleå University of Technology and Umeå University. Each university has its own list of applicants. The tuition fee waivers are handed out through a lottery.

In case of competition with more applicants than available places the selection is made primarily by priorities:

1. Students with focus on programs and courses, such as Thematic Network activities and Circumpolar Studies (courses with emphasis on the Northern and Arctic regions) and secondly by
2. Number of Higher Education Credits at Stockholm University taken and registered at Stockholm University documented in Ladok. Transferred credits are not taken into account.

An applicant cannot accept a nomination through both a university-wide agreement and a network agreement (i.e. north2north, Nordlys, Civis). The applicant can only go through with one nomination/seat.

Where can I go as an north2north-student?

You can find in which institutions you can go to the next semester via our Mobility Online-portal. You can also find a list of all the universities participating in north2north (marked with a blue north2north banner) on this page.

How many exchange spots are available for each university?

This cannot be answered as the allocation of spots happens within a common selection process with all four Swedish institutions. In some cases the number of available places for the n2n network per academic year is listed in the Stockholm University agreement portal.

What attachments should be included in the application?

Template Personal Letter and Preliminary Course Proposal (165 Kb) (includes questions that has to be answered in English and preliminary course selection) - see application instructions for more information

When will I receive information whether I have been nominated or not?

The response to applications is usually sent out at the end of February. Your decision will be sent via email through the online system MoveOn. We recommend you to check your spam folder regularly. All students that applied will be notified of the result, both if you received a seat for nomination or not. Please make sure that you notify the Student Services if you change your email address after you submit your application.

Note: That you have received an exchange place at a partner university does not mean that you have received a scholarship. 

Will there be a second application round with spare seats?

No. When the selection is complete and if there are places left, a draw will be held between the Swedish higher education institutions. Then those who applied in this round and did not get a place are offered to participate in the draw. The draw takes place between the four Swedish higher education institutions: Umeå University, Stockholm University, Mid Sweden University and Luleå University of Technology.

Can I apply again if I did not receive a seat (was not nominated)?

Yes, you can apply again in the next application round.

If I say no to my place, what happens then? 

The place will be handed out to the next student on the list from the lottery. If you say no to your place you can apply again in the next application round.

Is there a chance I won’t be admitted to a partner university (if I get nominated)?

There is always a risk. Stockholm University cannot guarantee that you get admitted to the host university since only they can admit you. However, it rarely happens that students don’t get admitted once they are nominated.

Can one get help finding courses? 

Unfortunately, the International Office does not have the ability to assist all students in searching for courses. The easiest way is usually to go to the university's websites and search for "courses" or "faculties" to access the course catalogs. In some cases, it may seem like universities only offer predetermined programs and not standalone courses, but exchange students usually have the freedom to choose from a range of courses and generally do not need to follow a specific program. Also, check with your institution/program regarding your course selection and do not forget to write a Learning Agreement before going on exchange

Monique Borgstrøm, exchange student spring 2024:

"For future students, my biggest advice is: apply! This is truly a life-changing experience, and having the opportunity to explore another culture and live in a new city while continuing your education is an opportunity not to be missed."

Read more about Monique's experiences

Read more about what students say about their north2north exchange:

Student reports - Shared Voices - UArctic´s annual print magazine 

Shared Voices - UArctic´s annual print magazine 

February: 

• Announcement of allocation of exchange places through Stockholm University (via email). This is a confirmation that you meet the eligibility requirements and in the selection process have been given a place to be nominated to the partner university. 
• You accept or decline the place for nomination.

March - April:

Once you have accepted your place, Stockholm University will nominate you for your exchange to the host university.

April - May:

You apply to the partner university according to their application instructions. If you are going to travel during the spring semester, you may apply already now but most likely during the autumn. You will receive more information and help from the partner university's international coordinator when it is your turn.

Once you have received confirmation that you have been accepted from the partner university, it is confirmed that you can carry out your exchange. It is at this stage that you get more information if you receive a north2north scholarship via Stockholm University. More information about scholarships can be found under the heading "Scholarships from the Swedish Institute".

Below you will find useful information if your application for exchange studies has been accepted. Please note, the information is for all outbound exchange students at Stockholm University, there are a few differences for you as a north2north student (i.e. to apply for your scholarship).

Useful information for outgoing exchange students